Swinger

/ˈswɪŋər/ noun

Definition

Someone or something that swings, or in modern slang, a person with a particular lifestyle choice; also refers to a type of business or music style.

Etymology

From Old English 'swingan' meaning 'to swing,' the noun 'swinger' emerged to mean 'one who swings.' The term took on additional cultural meanings in the 20th century.

Kelly Says

The word 'swinger' in 1960s jazz meant someone who played music with energy and feeling, but then the same word got appropriated for a completely different lifestyle—which shows how slang can completely rebrand words.

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

In mid-20th-century slang, 'swinger' acquired sexual connotations that disproportionately emphasized women's sexual availability and judgment, while men using the term faced less moral scrutiny.

Inclusive Usage

Restrict to neutral contexts (golf swinger, music swinger) or use 'consensually non-monogamous person' when discussing relationship styles to avoid gendered moral framing.

Inclusive Alternatives

["person who participates in consensual non-monogamy","golfer","musician"]

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